updated 11:40 am EDT, Thu October 8, 2009

Bold 2 to reach AT&T and T-Mobile same day

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 could be ready to launch on not one but two US carriers before the end of the month based on a key leak today. Possibly rebadged as just the Bold 2, the smartphone would be unveiled for both AT&T and T-Mobile on October 21st if the tip to Engadget is authentic. It would represent T-Mobile's first 3G BlackBerry and an end to AT&T's exclusive for the Bold line.

It's unknown whether the introduction will involve a single model that can use both AT&T and T-Mobile 3G networks or else separate models with their own network support.

The Bold 2 in any form will primarily be a design-focused update with a smaller body and a smoother, more reliable trackpad in place of the outgoing trackball. It also gets the taller 480x360 resolution of phones like the BlackBerry Tour, a more detailed 3.2-megapixel camera and a newer revision of BlackBerry OS.